Fireproof floor construction.



No. 732,091. PATENTED gIUNE 30, 1903. W. C. LEWIS.

PIREPROOF FLOOR CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED we. 12, 1902.

C. Lam's.

Patented June 30, 1903.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM C. LEWIS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

FIREPROOF FLOOR CONSTRUCTION.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 732,091, dated June 30, 1903. Application filed August 12,1902. $erialNo.119,S87. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM C. LEWIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fireproof Floor Construction, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in fireproof floor construction; and the object of the same is to provide a simple form of construction which will be an economical fire-resistingand load-supporting floor covering and protecting the girders.

With these and other objects and advantages in View the invention consists in the novel and useful arrangement and combination of parts described and claimed in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view of a floor and ceiling constructed according to myinvention. Fig. 2 is a detail View. Fig. 3 is a detail view of a modified form of tension member.

In the drawings like letters of reference designate like parts in the views.

Between the floor-girders A, shown here as I-beams, and resting on the lower flanges thereof is placed a suitable tension member 13, of reticulated metal, such as expanded metal. This tension member extends over the area of the floor to be construc ed and may be in one or several strips or widths to form a web. The lower flanges of the I-beams are also wrapped with strips of this metal, as shown at C. A mass of suitable plastic material, such as concrete, is then laid between the I-beams and reaches from a level below the lower flanges thereof to a suitable height up above the tension member. This plastic material embeds the tension member B therein, as well as the strips wrapped around the lower flanges on the girders, and when it sets forms a solid layer D and a ceiling, covering the bottom of the I-beams. This layer, reinforced by the tension member, is sufficient for the support of the floor-loads and serves as'a base upon which to build up the floor. To complete the floor, I employ blocks E, made of some suitable light plastic material, such as a composition of cinders and cement molded into blocks of suitable edges may be finished with cement, thus producing a fireproof floor with a hard surface,.

which throughout is light and yet possesses all the tensile strength which may be necessary to support the floor-loads. This construction combines few parts and is efficient and durable.

The objections to floors employing a cinder filling are obviated, and advantages over a solid cement or tile floor are too apparent to need specification.

In Fig. 31 have shown a tension member in the form of a spanner-rod B, of which a series are laid from girder to girder and rest upon the lower flanges thereof. These rods may be smooth or irregular of surface and when embedded in the layer of plastic material will also support the floor-loads. It may be stated here that the ceiling, though shown in Fig. 1 as built up from below the level of the I-beams, may also be built up from the level thereof without in any way changing ,the construction herein outlined.

Having thus fully described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by "Letters Patent of the United States, is-

In fireproof floor construction the combination with floor-girders, of a concrete layer or base extending between and supported by the girders and a. floor of blocks resting on said layer or base and filling the space to the topof the girders.

2. In fireproof floor construction, the combination with floor-girders, a tension member extending from girder to girderand resting on the lower flanges thereof, a layer of plastic fire-resisting material extending from girder to girder and embedding therein the said tension member, andacontinuous layer of blocks of fire-resisting material, resting upon the layer of plastic material and extending from girder to girder, substantially as described.

3. In fireproof floor construction, the combination with fioor-girders,atension member posed of cement and cinders, molded into :0

extending from girder to girder and consistshape and allowed to set, substantially as ing of an expanse or web of reticulated metal, described.

a layer of plastic fire-resisting material ex- In testimony whereof I affix my signature tending from girder to girder and embedding in presence of two Witnesses.

therein the said web of reticulated metal, and WILLIAM GrLEWIS.

Witnesses:

a continuous layer of blocks resting upon the said layer of plastic material and extending EDW. S. DUVALL, J r., from girder to girder, said blocks being cornl EMORY H. BOGLEY. 

